Crossed Paths
by MrsWemmaMorrison
Summary: Emma is a normal high schooler trying to survive the best four years of her life, so they call it. She didn't believe that was the truth until the Schuester family moves in two blocks over. Will Schuester is a normal sixteen year old guy. He plays sports, gets by in school and hangs out with friends. What happens when their paths cross on a cold, fall day? High School AU
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my new high school AU! It takes place in modern times, so yes, there will be some pop culture references from 2013. Emma has no OCD in this story but she's still in character otherwise. Will is Will as always and the two may have some character tweaks to help the story move along. Emma is a band geek (just like me ^_^) in this story and Will is a jock (don't worry, his broadway dream is still there) R&R!**_

* * *

Emma Pillsbury stood at the corner of Old Oak Way and Michigan Avenue. Her flute case clutched in one hand and the other held her purple scarf in place in front of her face. Her vibrant red hair was blowing in her face and the cold wind nipped at her cheeks and nose. October in Ohio sometimes felt as if it was December. She looked down at her shivering legs and started to rethink wearing a skirt that day. "Em!" Someone called running towards her.

Emma spun around on her heels and saw her friend Vic running towards her. "What?" Emma called towards her friend. Emma and Vic had been best friends since the sixth grade when Emma moved to Lima, Ohio. Vic and Emma were both in their junior year at McKinley High School and they were like day and night. Emma was a flute player in the school marching band. She was the oldest of two and the girly girl. Vic on the other hand was not. Vic was a cross country and track runner for McKinley high. She didn't show much interest in music and theatre like Emma did. She spent a lot of time at the Pillsburys being an only child to two parents who always were at work.

"Coffee fix?" The taller of the two asked as she approached her best friend at the bus stop. She held out a starbucks cup of Emma's favorite coffee, vanilla latte. Emma took it and mouthed thanks. "Did you see the new boys that moved in two blocks over?"

Emma finished taking her sip then shook her head as she swallowed the scalding blend, "No. Are they cute?"

"I know at least one of them is. If all three of those brothers look alike, we are in luck." Vic said looking over Emma's shoulder, "Speak of the devil." Emma turned her head and saw two teenage boys approaching them. Both were tall, well built and curly haired. One had darker hair than the other but their alikeness in facial features made up for the difference. "Those are the Schuester boys," Vic said leaning forward whispering in Emma's ear, "The one on the left is Scott and the other is Will. Sophomore and Senior. Both soccer players and I think cross country too."

Emma nodded with a small smile still looking at the two walking towards them, "So athletes."

"Pretty much," Vic said in agreement, "Their brother is a freshman at Ohio State on a football scholarship."

"Name?" Emma asked looking back at her best friend.

"Daniel," She said. "Scott, Will and Daniel."

Before the redhead could open her mouth to speak, the boys made their appearance known. Emma heard the rustling of the leaves behind her and spun around quickly hitting Will. Her coffee hit his abdomen and knocked the lid off spilling it all over the two. Emma's jaw dropped, "Oh my god. I'm so sorry," She looked up at the kind eyed junior who shrugged it off.

"Nah, you're cool. Hot coffee feels great on a cold morning like this." He looked down at his white t shirt that now had a brown stain in the center. "I can just blame this on Scott." Scott glared at his older brother and the two ladies laughed.

"If you need to get another shirt, we can hold the bus for you." Emma offered still feeling guilty that her coffee was all over him.

Will shook his head, "I don't mind. I have an extra shirt in my gym locker." He took a sweatshirt out of his backpack and held it out to Emma, "You might want to wear this though. I don't think a wet jacket will keep you very warm with this wind."

Emma bit her lip and glanced up at him, "Really? Don't you want to wear it? You are the one covered in more coffee than I am."

"Which means I have more of the scalding beverage to keep me warm," Will flashed her a smile, "Take it and just give it back to me later. I have my cross country sweatshirt in my locker too. It's really no big deal."

Emma hesitantly took the sweatshirt from his hand and slid her jacket off. She put his sweatshirt on and rolled the sleeves up so they weren't too long on her. "Thanks," Emma said sweetly smiling at him. He didn't seem too bad of a guy. Polite, funny and good looking. Will Schuester seemed like the total package. "I'm Emma," She said blinking out of her daze and breaking the silence.

"Will," He said smiling back.

"And I'm Scott," Scott said jumping into the conversation. He held his hand out for her to shake, "It's your pleasure."

Emma and Vic laughed. "I'm Vic," Vic said taking Scott's hand and shaking it gently.

"You ladies waiting for the bus?" Scott asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um," Emma said looking around her surroundings, "Why else would we be standing here before school?"

Scott shrugged, "I don't know. You two seem like the kind to be in a gang," He joked.

Will elbowed his younger brother in the side, "Knock it off." He shook his head, "Sorry 'bout him. Stiles got the brains, Scott got the looks and well, I got both." He shrugged and curled his lip up slightly. "What grade are you two in?" He asked focussing the conversation on a new topic.

Emma bit the inside of her lip and smiled. Was it possible for her to be falling for a guy that she had known a little over ten minutes? Things appeared to be clicking for the two of them. Vic looked out of the corner of her eye and saw her best friend in a daze over the jock. "We're both juniors." She cut in breaking the silence.

Emma closed her eyes and shook her head gently, "Erm... yeah, juniors. You?"

"Sophomore," Scott said trying to jump back into the triangular conversation before Will pushed him back out.

"I'm a junior too." Will said stepping in front of his younger brother. The bus pulled up in front of the four teenagers. Scott was the first to rush onto the bus. Will stepped aside, "Ladies first," He said gesturing to the door.

Emma smiled softly, "Thanks," She said quietly before stepping on and taking a seat near the back next to a window.

"What a gentleman," Vic teased walking after her and sitting beside Emma, "What is wrong with you?"

"What?" Emma asked innocently turning her focus away from the window.

"You were acting like such a ditz back there. He must think you're a dumb blonde or something!" Vic whispered loudly.

Emma held up a finger like she did to her little sister to prove a point, "One, I'm a redhead, not a blonde. Your argument is invalid. Two, I was not! He caught me in a daze... with that cute smile..." She started to stare at Will who was sitting across the aisle reading a book of his.

"Em," Vic snapped her fingers in front of Emma's dazed look, "Snap out of it." Emma narrowed her eyes at Vic and shook her head, "If you like the guy so much, go sit with him. He's all alone and he's new to McKinley. Show him around. Show him what McKinley is all about," She wiggled her eyebrows at Emma.

Emma wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "I don't know. I don't want to sound too weird or come on too strong."

Vic rolled her eyes, "You won't be anything like Scott was earlier, okay? You can do this."

Emma bit her lip and looked over Vic's shoulder at Will, "I think I will later. I mean, he's new. I don't want to scare him away."

Vic shook her head and looked over her shoulder at Will, "Take your time then, but act fast. There is no way someone like him will stay single for long."

* * *

The final bell before 3rd hour rang. Emma sat in the back of Mr. Newell's chemistry class reading her book while Mr. Newell talked to the principal and a new student. She was still wearing Will's sweatshirt from that morning. It didn't match her outfit well but she blamed McKinley for not wanting to turn on the heat when it was in the 40s that day. "Miss Pillsbury? Could you come up here for a moment?"

Emma looked up from her book at the voice of the school principal. She shut it quietly and stood up from the stool she was sitting at and walked slowly to the front of the classroom. The sixteen year old tried her best to ignore the stares from her classmates and the soft "ooooh busted"'s from a few boys in the front. She stopped next to her teacher smiled, "Did you need me?" She asked nervously.

Mr. Newell nodded, "Yes. Emma, you are the only one in the class without a lab partner and I was wondering if it was okay with you if I paired you up with the new student." Emma glanced over to her right and saw Will standing in the doorway with the principal talking. What were the chances that he was in her chemistry class let alone be her lab partner.

Emma blinked, "Um, yeah. That's totally fine!" She walked back to her lap table in the far back corner and moved her things so she didn't seem like one of those space hogs. She watched Will walk back to their table, "Hey," She said quietly with a smile.

"Hey," Will said with the same smirk he had earlier, "What're the chances?"

"I know right," Emma said laughing a bit, "I see you changed your shirt."

Will looked down and nodded. He was now wearing a blue and white Hollister shirt. "Yeah. As much as I love white with a touch of light brown in the center, I didn't think it was the right thing to wear on my first day. Ya know?"

Emma nodded and laughed quietly, "Yeah. Totally."

"I see you still have my sweatshirt on," Will said tugging on the hood a bit.

"Yeah," Emma said softly pulling the sleeves down from her elbows as she felt a chill come through the window, "I don't understand why McKinley doesn't use the heating system here. I mean, we live in Ohio. We have it for a reason." She bit her lip, "You can wear it if you're cold."

Will laughed, "I certainly hope I can. It is my sweatshirt," He shook his head and took his book out of his bag, "You can keep it on if you're cold. I don't mind. It looks good on you," He flashed a smile at her before opening his book to the page number written on the board.

Emma tried to blush as subtly as she could when he smiled at her. She was really starting to take a liking to him and being lab partners would not help her concentration if he was going to act like this the rest of the semester.

* * *

_**I hope you all liked this! Please leave a review telling me what you think and what you want to see happen. I have a few plots in mind but I want to know what YOU want! **_

_**Feel free to contact me too! I have instagram, tumblr and kik. PM me for my kik and instagram!**_

_**My tumblr: mrswemmamorrison . tumblr . com **_

_**I also have a few roleplay blogs that I am vvery active on. My most active on is ask-emma-schuester . tumblr . com. Take a look if you're interested! (and send in some questions :))**_


	2. Chapter 2

Emma stepped off the bus the same afternoon and started to walk the tree blocks home alone. Vic had stayed after to get some extra running in on the track and she had no idea where Scott and Will were. Her bag was surprisingly light due to the extra time she had in study hall, her flute case was in her hand still and her jacket was slung over her arm. The red head still hadn't taken off Will's orange and blue striped sweatshirt. Emma got stuck in one of her usual dazes again and didn't pay attention to who was turning the corner or who was approaching her. "Whoa," A voice said gently stopping her preventing a human collision.

Emma looked up and saw Will. He must have gotten off at the wrong stop. "Oh, sorry," Emma said looking up at him, "Did you get off at the wrong stop or something? Because your house is in the opposite direction."

"How do you know where I live?" Will asked putting his hands in his pocket started to walk along side her.

"Um, Scott's in my study hall. We got to talking," She closed her eyes and shook away the subject. She was beginning to sound like she stalked him or something alike, "Anyways, you're going the wrong way again."

Will looked over his shoulder and shrugged, "I thought I'd walk you home. I could use the extra exercise," He looked back at Emma, "Is that okay with you? I don't want to interrupt any daydreams you had planned for the next ten or so minutes," He smirked and laughed at his own funny.

Emma laughed and rolled her eyes. The last thing he needed was more exercise. Will seemed to be in perfect shape between soccer and cross country. "No, that's fine. I can reschedule those daydreams for when I'm studying for the chem quiz tomorrow."

"Shoot," Will said quickly, "I totally forgot about that." He looked up from the spot on the ground he was so concentrated on and back to Emma, "Could I borrow your notes?"

Emma gave him a look that read, 'seriously?' then nodded, "Sure. Do you want to come over later and work on the study guide we got?"

"We got a study guide too?" Will said. He sounded like what she was telling him was brand new information. Yes, this was is first or second day at McKinley but he believed he was all caught up on upcoming tests, papers, exams, quizzes and midterms.

Emma laughed, "You definitely need to come over then. Mr. Newell is nice but when you say that you didn't know about an assignment or quiz," She stopped and shuddered dramatically.

Will nodded and licked his lips, "I probably should. What time would be good?"

"Maybe six or so? My mom is going out tonight and my dad works late. It will just be my little sister and I home for dinner, so you could come over then?" Emma asked hesitantly. Did she really just set up a study date with the cute, new kid?

"Yeah," Will said nodding, "Six sounds good. That should give me time to run home, get the sweat washed off then run back over here all sweaty again."

Emma laughed, "I'll make sure to have the air freshener near by," Will was really funny she thought. She hadn't laughed so much with a guy before. Emma wasn't sure if it was because she was beginning to have feelings for the boy or if he genuinely had a knack for comedy. "Here," Emma said reaching into her bag for a marker and taking Will's hand, "Here's my number," She said writing the seven digits on his palm, "Give me a call when you're on your way." She capped the marker and put it in the pocket of the sweatshirt. Emma stopped at the steps of a red brick house, "This is my place," She stepped onto the first step and turned to him, "I'll see you in a bit?"

"Yeah," Will said with the corner of his lip curled, "See ya," He waved and turned on his heels before running the direction they walked from the bus stop.

"See ya," Emma said quietly as he ran away and waved. She bit her lip and turned around to walk up the front steps of her house. She quietly opened the front door to the Pillsbury residence. Of course, before she could finish shutting the door, her mother appeared. Rose Pillsbury was as nosy as nosy could be, especially when it came to her daughters' personal lives. She wanted to know every little and exact detail about their days, conversations and everything else. There was no way Emma could hide Will from her mother in anyway.

Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Hi Mom," She said putting her bag and flute down on the front table before walking to the front closet to hang up her coffee stained jacket.

"Who was that boy you were walking with?" Rose asked leaning against the banister on the stairs that led upstairs.

"Erm... Will," Emma answered hesitantly, "He's coming over later to study for our chemistry quiz tomorrow," She crossed her arms over her chest, "Is that okay?"

"Later? As in when both your father and I are not home later?" Rose asked raising an eyebrow at her eldest daughter.

"Um, yeah." Emma answered quietly.

Rose shook her head, "You know you are in charge of your younger sister tonight, Emma? I don't want any monkey business happening. No going upstairs with him, keep all doors open and no leaving the house."

"Mom! Oh my god!" Emma covered her eyes in embarrassment, "Will and I weren't planning on doing anything like _that_! I just met him today." Emma shook her head, "Oh my god. That's disgusting, Mom," She muttered under her breath. "I was planning on having dinner with him and Julia. Then while she did her homework, we would study in the living room or the dining room. Is that a problem?"

"I'm not opposed to the idea, Emma. But, I don't like that you're having a boy over that I haven't met yet." Rose shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest too. Nosy and a tad protective, she was.

"I invited him over because he was new and we were assigned to be lab partners this morning. It isn't like he asked to study with different intentions." Emma picked up her bag and flute and walked to the stairs, "I need to practice for the game on Friday," She continued upstairs to her room.

* * *

Will walked through the front door of his house three blocks away from Emma's. He dropped his backpack by the door, pulled off his sweaty blue and white striped shirt throwing it on top of the washer and walked into the kitchen, shirtless and red in the face. "Looks like someone went for a run," Jan Schuester said looking up from the carrot she was chopping up on the wooden cutting board.

Will nodded as he took out the carton of milk from the fridge, "It's getting cold out there," He walked by and kissed his mom on the cheek, "I'm heading to a friend's for dinner. We have a quiz to study for," He took out a glass and poured himself some milk like he always did after a run then put the carton back.

"Dude," Scott said walking into the kitchen, "Where've you been?"

Will looked up from the pile of carrots he was eyeing, "Oh, um, I walked Emma home when she got off the bus."

"Emma?" Their mother piped in, "Who's this little lady?"

"Girlllfriennnnnnd," Scott exaggerated getting in Will's face.

Will put his hand on Scott's face and pushed him away, "She's my new lab partner in Chemistry. We need to study tonight, is that alright?"

"Ha, study," Scott chuckled putting air quotations around the word study.

"Shut up," Will said gently shoving his brother away.

"Boys," Mrs. Schuester said sternly turning away from her cooking, "Stop it now." Jan turned to Will and nodded, "That's fine. Just be home by a reasonable hour. It's a school night." She put down the knife she had pointed at her two youngest sons and folded her arms directing her attention back to her middle son. "So, tell me about this Emma."

Will sucked in his cheeks and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "What do you mean?"

"What has you attracted to her, Will?" Jan said in a motherly tone. "You have that same look Danny had with his first crush."

Will rolled his eyes. He felt like a little kid who had just gotten in trouble. His mother put him on the spot and he knew that there was no way out or around the conversation. "Attracted to her? Really Mom?"

Jan raised an eyebrow, "William..."

Will put his hands up, "Alright, alright. I'll stop playing around." He put his hands back into their original places in his pocket and looked down, "I guess she seems like a nice person. We had fun in Chemistry class. She was the only one who didn't look at me like some awkward jock today." He looked up at his mom. Will hadn't made any friends since their move to Lima. He was sort of quiet at both soccer and cross country practice and he seemed to be blooming into a wallflower when he was the complete opposite when his family lived in Bowling Green.

Jan sighed and looked at her son gently, "I know this move has been hard for you, but you know that I needed to get away from your father after the divorce. A new start is good for all four of us, even if Danny is in Columbus for college. I found work here, you and Scott are able to participate in sports and school and we can be happy for once."

"I don't know why being two hours away from Dad has to be the solution," Will grumbled looking at his dingy white socks. He breathed heavily and looked back up, "I'm sorry, Mom." Will knew that the divorce and move was a touchy subject for his mom. Since his dad left and remarried one of his co-workers six months ago and his older brother recently went off to college, he had to be the man of the house at almost seventeen. He used to talk to his dad for hours since he moved out not knowing who else to talk to when he was having girl or social problems. Now, Will hadn't talked to him for about a week and it was wearing on him. He felt so lonely without a father figure to talk to and to follow in the shadow of.

Mrs. Schuester shook her head and pulled her son into a hug, "You're too young to understand, Will." She said softly, "Sometimes, distance helps heal wounds. I don't like that you decided to grow up this summer but I'm so proud that you did. You're no longer that popular jock that I saw walking around in a letterman jacket on the weekends. You've become more connected with yourself. I see you writing in your notebooks outside your room some nights. I know you're thinking of things that most sixteen year olds don't think of. You aren't like Scott or Danny. You don't think about girls each second of the day." The corner of her lips curled into a small smile as she said the last sentence.

Will hugged her back tightly and shrugged a little, "I kinda still think about girls quite a bit," He said with a smirk.

Jan rolled her eyes and handed him an apple. "Grab a snack, put a shirt on, spray some cologne and head over to Emma's."

Will took the apple and took a quick bite, "Thanks Mom." Will loved his mom. Their relationship was close and he thought she was pretty cool that she didn't act too overprotective of him or his brothers when it came to girls or love in general. Will walked to the living room where there was a basket of unfolded clothes and grabbed a Batman long sleeved t-shirt. He slipped it on and grabbed Scott's can of Axe that was laying on the floor near the couch.

"So, going to go work on the chemistry with Emma?" Scott asked randomly appearing in the doorway of the living room. He wiggled his eyebrows at his older brother.

"Yeah," Will said walking towards him, "It's called studying," He pounded the can of body spray into his brother's chest, "You should try it sometime."

* * *

_**I hope you enjoyed it! Please, please, please leave a review! I love to know what people like about my writing and what could be done better in the story. **_

_**Feel free to contact me too! I have instagram, tumblr and kik. PM me for my kik and instagram!**_

_**My tumblr: mrswemmamorrison . tumblr . com**_

_**I also have a few roleplay blogs that I am vvery active on. My most active on is ask-emma-schuester . tumblr . com. Take a look if you're interested! (and send in some questions :))**_


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